The final 'Saw' film: The end of an era?

A new Saw film has reliably haunted theaters every Halloween starting in 2004, creating a wildly successful horror franchise that some have dubbed "torture porn." That tradition will purportedly end with this weekend's release of Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. Are critics sorry to say goodbye to moralistic anti-hero Jigsaw and his complicated traps? (Watch the Saw 3D trailer)

It's time to say goodbye

"Saw 3D is the [same] tired old set of tricks," says Drew Taylor at IndieWire. "You've seen high school productions of Bye Bye Birdie with more impressive sets than this."

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Completists are obliged to see it

"It does attempt to bring the Saw saga full circle in a mildly satisfying way," says Krystal Clark at ScreenCrave. "If you’ve followed the franchise from the beginning, you might as well cough up the money to see how it all ends."

Nostalgia for Saws past is already setting in

From the "the inconstancy of Jigsaw's schemes" to the "insanely convoluted" flashbacks... I will miss the series," says Scott Mendelson at The Huffington Post. "Warts and all, there was something weirdly special about the Saw series," and "the franchise as a whole stands out as a unique bit of horror filmmaking."

It could rise again

"The central storyline is starting to feel really played out, but there's a palpable sense of actual fun to this alleged final film," says Luke Y. Thompson at E! Online. "Saw 3D is a fair enough victory lap, and it's unreasonable to think that such a profitable franchise won't be revisited at some point."

Especially if it cashes in

"Expect Jigsaw to go out on top" at the box office this weekend, says S.T. VanAirsdale at Movieline. If it brings in $30 million, "you can count" on there being another Saw flick down the line.